Earth Day is celebrated on April 22nd of each year. Earth day is meant to create awareness for environmental concerns and join in ways that we can help keep earth clean and healthy. So why is it important to teach our children about Earth Day? The kids are our future and the world we live in, the environment we create, will be there home for generations to come. If anyone is going to make a difference and start new ways of protecting the earth, it’s our children. ​

So how can you teach your children about Earth Day? There are a number of ways;

Pick up a bookThere are hundreds of books for all ages about the Earth and the importance of protecting our environment. Head to your local library or bookstore for some family together time. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and The Lorax by Dr. Seuss are two very popular ones that children enjoy.

Learn about water and electric conservation“Turn off the lights when you leave a room,” “Don’t leave the water running,” sound familiar? Sure, by conserving water and electricity you are saving money on your bills but it also conserves the Earth. At any age you can begin teaching your kids about;

turning lights off

shutting the water off when they brush their teeth

unplugging things when not in use, etc.

Get OutsideThe simplest way to get the conversation about the environment started is to get outside. Plan a day to go hiking, take a nature walk, or play some outdoor games. Southern Illinois boasts tons of outdoor activities for families to explore.

Get InvolvedMany organizations in our area have events to celebrate Earth Day. Check out our local events calendar for an event near you. If you want to have more one-on-one time with the kids, do some of that Spring yard work you’ve been putting off. Plan to plant a tree or even a few flowers. If allergies are an issue, try checking out a local recycling center. Planting aids in producing more air for the earth, and there are many small varieties that you can purchase for your yard (or large if you are in need of larger trees.) If your area has a tree planting event, you can always participate in that as well. Gardens are beneficial for so many reasons! It’s the perfect spring time project for you and your little ones. Even if they are very little, planting things like carrots, potatoes and beans are great because they are all easy to plant and easy to care for. You get to enjoy those fresh fruits and veggies after they are done growing, and teach your child about sustaining your own backyard garden. If you live in an apartment or do not have yard space, try out garden boxes or indoor gardening kits. You can also look into an indoor herb garden, which is also easy to care for and grow.

Create recycled artThere are tons of art projects that can be done with recycled materials. If you have friends or family that use a lot of plastic bottles, you can ask them to save them for you. You could recycle tin cans by painting them or putting paper around them to hold writing utensils, or use old stones, sticks, recycled items and other things to create an outdoor art project. Check out our Pinterest page for ideas that you can try out with your children!

These are just a few ways to teach your child the meaning of Earth Day. How will you be celebrating Earth Day with your family?